This Man's Army
by CadetCarter
Summary: It takes an unusual off-world guest to realize that what is wrong and right is in the eye of the beholder. Sam/Janet. First-time
1. Chapter 1

**This Man's Army  
**

_Chapter 1_

Sam let her head fall into her hands. She let out a loud sigh as her mind wandered restlessly. She tried to think of anything but the deadline for her newest project. Janet suddenly popped in her head. She imagined them laying side by side on a beach, reading romance novels and complaining about their long hours at work. If anyone could make her relax, it was Janet. She slowly dosed off with thoughts of the Doctor swimming in her head.

_The sun shone dimly over the ocean horizon as her hands combed through the fine grains of sand beneath her fingers. She felt cool hands on her shoulders and warm breath on the back of her neck. Pulling one hand from her shoulder and towards her lips, she kissed it's palm. She turned slowly to see Janet's face lit up with the most brilliant smile that she had ever seen. She felt nervous and happy, like she was reliving her first day in the military. She dusted the sand off of her hands and ran them through her hair. She then pulled Janet to her, caressing the length of her arms and lowering her head into a kiss. Their lips touched with the softness of a feather on water. The breeze paraded across her forehead. _

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Janet stood over Sam's sleeping body and brushed a clump of bangs out of the tired scientists face. She whispered softly, "You really need to try and take it easy, Sam. You're not a machine….as much as you'd like to think you are." She left for her quarters to get some rest of her own. As she lay in bed, thoughts of Sam were all that seemed to fill her head. Janet couldn't understand why Sam pushed herself so hard. _Maybe she's trying to prove herself to "this man's army." I've been guilty of the same thing at some point, I'm sure. _Her mind began to rest and, gradually, she fell into a deep sleep.

_The sun shone dimly over the ocean horizon as her hands combed through the fine grains of sand beneath her fingers. She felt cool hands on her shoulders and warm breath on the back of her neck. Pulling one hand from her shoulder and towards her lips, she kissed it's palm. She turned slowly to see Sam's face lit up with the most brilliant smile that she had ever seen. She felt nervous and happy, like she was reliving her first day in the military. She dusted the sand off of her hands and ran them through her hair. She then pulled Sam to her, caressing the length of her arms and lowering her head into a kiss. Their lips touched with the softness of a feather on water. The waves crashed louder and louder against the shoreline._

She jerked awake to the sound of her annoyingly loud alarm clock.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sam tore the post-it notes from her sleep-marked cheek. She felt surprisingly rested for sleeping on a pile of papers for 4 hours, but then again, she always felt rested after having that particular dream about Janet. As she headed to mission briefing, she decided to pay Janet a visit in the infirmary. She spotted Dr. Warner as she eased her way through the jungle of beds……but no Janet. She proceeded to the petite Doctors office instead. She turned the corner and studied Janet's face as she read files. The doctor was completely unaware that anyone was in her office, which gave Sam the perfect chance to appreciate the other woman's soft features. Sam loved the Doctor's full lips that tasted so sweet in her dreams, and her long hair that smelled so good she made it top priority to always be downwind of her when given the chance. The loving chuckle that left Sam's lips awakened the Doctor from her trance.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Janet had been starring at that same file for almost an hour, thinking how much she enjoyed having that dream about Sam. She closed the file quickly and stood up sharply. "Sam! Hey! What's up?"

Sam giggled, "You look like you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar."

"No, I was just thinking. So what's brings you 'round these parts so early in the day….and without any visible wounds?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to grab dinner and a movie tomorrow night."

Janet began to blush as she thought about her dream. "Yeah, I would love to. I'm sure Warner will cover my shift."

"Great! It's a date."

Janet felt nervous. _Sam always says, "It's a date," after making plans with me, so why am I so nervous? It's not like it ever leads anywhere. We have dinner, see a movie, have a few drinks, and call it a night. I have no reason to feel this way. They're childish feelings. Having a crush like this at my age is ridiculous. It's not like she'll ever return the feelings. Such silly things, they are._

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Sam jumped up from her desk as the alarm sounded, signaling that there was an unauthorized, off-world gate activation. She ran towards the control room, entering at an unusually quick pace. While unauthorized visitors could mean certain doom to planet Earth, it was still a thrill to see _what_ doom would be walking down that ramp this time. Sam lived for the uncertainty, though she never let it show. She stood beside Jack and Daniel, just behind General Hammond. She turned to look Jack in the eyes.

"What's going on, Sir? Why isn't the iris closed?"

"Malfunction, Cater. None of the pass-codes will work."

"Let me give it a try, Sir."

With a wave of his hand and a slight step backwards, he motioned for Sam to sit at the terminal. She tried everything she could think of, but nothing worked.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I can't get in."

Jack let out a sigh and turned to General Hammond. "Manual override, Sir?"

The General nodded, "Do it."

With the speed of a cheetah, Jack bolted for the manual override panel in the gate room. He flipped the switch---nothing. He looked up at the General and shrugged. Hammond began to pace the room.

"What's going to happen if we can't shut this thing down, Captain?"

Sam turned and paused. "It's hard to say, Sir. Depending on the planet we're connected to, we could be looking at…." She became silent as the gate stopped glowing. She looked up at the General. "Sir?"

He grabbed the com, "Did you do this, Colonel?"

Jack looked up with surprise, "No, Sir, but I have a theory----leprechauns." He took two steps toward the control room when something appeared before him. It was a shadow at first, then, slowly, clothing appeared. Beneath a gold tunic and dark-purple shawl was a beautiful young-woman. She lowered herself to her knees.

"Mi nala, Kayka. Nar tun tayu haruska."

Jack stepped back a bit as the guards rushed in and surrounded them. "Sir," he said with urgency in his voice, "uh, I think you should get in here." General Hammond, followed closely by Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c, placed himself by Jack's side. He gently lifted the woman on to her feet.

"I am General Hammond of the SGC. What is your business here?"

The woman's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Mi nala, Kayka. Nar tun tayu haruska."

She reached underneath her shawl. The guards raised their guns in unison, all pointing at the mysterious woman. General Hammond stepped between the soldiers and the young woman. She froze, but with no fear in her eyes.

"Hold your fire!" he commanded and nodded for her to continue. She pulled from under her shawl a translucent marble with faint blotches of what looked like the continents of Earth. She placed the marble in his hand and raised her arms toward the ceiling. Daniel stepped forward and smiled, pointing to the marble.

"Sir, I think that this marble is a model of our Earth. She's trying to ask us if this is where she is." He plucked the marble from General Hammond's hand and stood before the young woman. While displaying the marble between his fingers, he motioned around the room with his free hand. The woman smiled and touched the marble, mimicking Daniel's hand movements with a questioning look. He smiled and shook his head "yes" until she did the same.

"I think she knows exactly where she is now, General. If it's alright with you, I'd like to keep this for a bit." He held the object up to the light.

"That will be fine, Dr. Jackson. Let us know if you find anything unusual." He turned to address Jack and Sam. "Take our new guest to the infirmary and let Dr. Fraiser have a look at her, then take her to her quarters."

Without blinking an eye, Sam and Jack replied, "Yes, Sir."


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

Janet approached the bed on which the woman sat and stood next to Colonel O' Neill and Captain Carter. She touched Sam's arm gently. "I'm going to do her exam now, but I'll call you if I need any help."

Sam smiled, "We'll be right outside."

"Thank you, Captain----Colonel." The two officers left the infirmary. Janet looked up from her charts to see the smiling face of the unknown woman.

"My name is Dr. Fraiser. I'm going to be examining you today."

The woman kept smiling and was now studying Janet's face. Janet couldn't help but smile back. This woman's beauty was almost intolerable. Her hair was the darkest shade of chocolate and set on the curve of her back, ends curled perfectly. Her eyes were the lightest color of aqua and sparkled as if they were pools of water--almost hypnotizing. Proportion was not amiss, either. She was very toned and curvy. Janet noticed how lovely her breast glistened with sweat after she removed her shawl and tunic. The woman did not seem at all uncomfortable with Janet removing her clothing and touching her body. Janet, however, was flushed from head to toe. She hadn't seen a body as perfect as this since Samantha Carter. A far as Janet was concerned, Sam had the perfect body. But as she stood over the mystifying young woman, hands poking and prodding, her mind began to change.

The woman reached out and gently touched Janet's cheek.

"Tayu tou alurae."

Janet's eyes were wide and locked on to the woman touching her. The stranger dropped her hand and smiled at the Doctor.

"Mi nala, Kayka."

Janet looked at her in confusion. "I'm sorry. I don't understand."

The woman pointed to herself and said again, "Mi nala, Kayka. Kay-ka."

"Your name is Kayka? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" She handed the woman her clothes and sat next to her on the bed as she dressed. "Your name is Kayka? That's a beautiful name." She pointed to herself and said, "Janet. My name is Janet. Um…..Mi nala, Janet."

Kayka's face lit up. "Mi nala, Kayka! Tayu tou, Janet!"

"Yes, yes!" She leapt from the bed and called Jack and Sam into the room. "You're not going to believe what just happened. We had a conversation!"

Jack and Sam both looked at each other in disbelief. Sam's jaw dropped. "What did she say?"

Janet smiled with achievement. "Mi nala, Kayka. Tayu tou, Janet."

Jack and Sam looked at each other again, this time with disappointment.

Jacks hand met his forehead. "She said 'Mi nala, Kayka' a thousand times in the gate room. Once while kneeling at my feet. I didn't understand it then and I don't understand it now, so you're gonna have to help me out here, Doc. What's the big deal?"

"It's her name, Colonel! Her name is Kayka. She also understands that my name is Janet. She said, 'Mi nala, Kayka'--and then I said, 'Mi nala, Janet'--and then she said, 'Mi nala, Kayka'--I am Kayka--and then she said, 'Tayu tou, Janet'--which has to be 'you are Janet.' I am Kayka. You are Janet. It just makes since, right?"

Jack looked at Sam and then moved toward the bed. He looked at the woman and pointed to himself. "I…uh….Mi nala, Jack."

Sam positioned herself next to Jack and pointed to herself. "Mi nala, Sam."

The woman smiled and pointed from Jack to Sam and said, "Tayu tou Jack---tayu tou Sam." She then turned to Janet and cupped the Doctor's hands. With a smile, she said, "alurae Janet."

Jack turned to Janet. "Alurae? What does that mean?"

"I don't know, Colonel. That's the second time she's said it. We need to get her to talk to Daniel." Kayka continued to hold Janet's hands.

Sam's smile faded as she watched the loving smiles being exchanged in front of her. She couldn't stand to watch it anymore. "If everything checks out, Dr. Fraiser, we should be getting her settled into her new quarters."

"Yes, of course. Everything checked out fine. No bumps or bruises, extra toes or fingers, or anything out of place. As far as I can tell, she's in perfect health." She smiled adoringly at Kayka. Sam was not impressed by this woman. If anything, she was disgusted. She couldn't remember a time when Janet had looked at her like that. _What am I thinking? Of course Janet has never looked at me like that. She would have to have feelings for me to look at me like that._ Sam's eyes widened and her stomach flew into her throat. _She has feelings for_ her_? How can she have feelings for her? She doesn't know this woman. She could be a hideous monster in disguise, sent to destroy our planet for all we know._

Sam and Jack led Kayka to her quarters and assigned two guards to stand watch outside of her door.

"Hey, Carter, how 'bout some Jell-O?"

"No thank you, Sir. I think I'm going to go see if Daniel needs any help with that marble thing."

"Okay. Your loss, Captain. I hear the blue is quite tasty today. Let me know if you two find anything."

"Yes, Sir."


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

"The language is that of the Suunae (soo-oo-nay)," Daniel said as he passed photos around the briefing table. "If you recall from these photos, we visited a planet a few years ago that we designated P4X-029. We recovered stones, that when placed in a certain order, produced a sort of hologram." He passed a photo to Teal'c of 20 identical stones laid out on a translucent altar. "The different combinations reveal different facts about their culture and history, including their language."

Teal'c raised his brow. "I remember this well, Daniel Jackson. As I recall, there were no life forms on this planet."

Daniel pushed up his glasses. "Uh, that's right, Teal'c. There were no signs of life, but there were more than a few signs that an extremely advanced race of people once inhabited the planet."

Sam studied the picture of the stones and altar. "So, are you saying that she is from this planet?"

"Well, um…..yes."

Janet laced her fingers together and placed her hands on the table. "How is that possible? We did every scan imaginable, scouted every inch of that planet, and didn't find the slightest hint of life."

Daniel rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed the file that lay open in front of him. "I don't know. I can't explain it, but she _is_ speaking this language. It all matches up--every word so far, but I wont know for sure until I talk to her. I brought her some books earlier. I figured, if anything, she should be entertained."

"Were there any pictures in these _books_?" Jack quipped.

"Well, um, no…"

"Then how do you expect her to be entertained, Daniel? She can't speak our language, so what makes you think she can read it?"

He paused and looked around the room. "Well…I….uh….it just…..didn't seem to matter at the time. I mean, the curiosity alone should keep her busy for hours."

A soldier burst through the door before anyone could reply. "General Hammond. The prisoner is demanding to see Dr. Fraiser and SG-1."

Jack's look of confusion was mirrored in the faces of the others sitting at the table. "Demanding? How can she demand anything when she doesn't speak our language?"

The soldier spoke up, "Sir, I don't understand. She asked that I get you and the rest of your team to accompany me back. Then she asked that I make sure that Dr. Fraiser is present."

General Hammond looked more confused than the rest. "Thank you, Airman. Inform Ms…..Kayka that we will be there shortly."

"Yes, Sir," the Airman said as he headed back to his post.

* * *

Kayka stood in her dimly lit quarters waiting for SG-1 to arrive. She turned sharply as she heard a man clear his throat. "Colonel O' Neill, it is nice to see you again. And you Samantha Carter." She turned to see Janet look at her in amazement. "And it is _very_ nice to see you again, Janet."

Janet's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. "It's nice to see you again too, Kayka." She smiled the most brilliant smile Sam had seen from her in years.

A sudden feeling of loss and despair washed over the Captain. _Why is she paying so much damn attention to Janet? She's not the only one in the room. I know I shouldn't be upset by this, but damnit, it feels like she's stealing her away from me. Janet is mine!_ She looked at Janet's soft, round face and lowered her head. _When did I become so possessive? She's not my property, for god's sake. She doesn't even know that my feelings for her exist. _

Daniel approached Kayka. "Kayka, how is it that you can now speak our language?"

She held up one of the books that Daniel had given her earlier. "Is this not what you intended for me to do with these---learn? I wasn't sure at first which language was yours, but after reading 'English For Dummies' it was pretty apparent. I'm also fluent in Sumerian." She smiled at Daniel. "You seem shocked by this. Why?"

"Well it usually takes a little longer for someone to learn an entire language."

"I guess I have a lot to learn about your people."

Janet stepped forward. "We would love to teach you, Kayka."

Sam rolled her eyes as Kayka took one of Janet's hands into her own.

"Thank you, Janet. I would love to see whatever you wish to show me."

General Hammond approached Kayka. "Now that there is no longer a language barrier, it would be a good idea if we sat down and talked. We need to know why you're here…or better yet…_how_ you're here."

* * *

General Hammond, SG-1, and Dr. Fraiser sat at the briefing table and listened intently as Kayka tried to explain how she came through the stargate. "I don't know exactly how to explain it. I wanted through, so I came through. I'm as curious as you are, now that I've been asked. I've never thought about it before. My people could do all sorts of things--move objects without touching them, stop time--it was never thought to be unusual on my planet."

Jack held up his hand. "How did you become invisible in the gate room?"

"I didn't want to be seen, so I wasn't seen."

Janet looked at General Hammond. "Sir, her scans didn't show any unusual brain activity or heightened hormone levels. It seems impossible that her mind could function at such a capacity without there being any trace of it."

The General nodded in agreement. "While we didn't find any alien devices on you, Kayka, or anything that would suggest that you are lying, I am required to keep you at this facility until we have more information."

Kayka smiled. "I understand General. I'll help in whatever way I can."

Daniel turned to Kayka. "Kayka, why are you here? What happened to your people?"

Her face turned grim. "2,000 years ago a man came to my planet. He carried within him a virus that would wipe out everything--plants, animals, people. I was immune to the virus, but everyone was dying so fast that there was no one left to find a cure. One of the last oracles left on my planet came to me. He gave me the marble and the coordinates to this planet. He said I would find my answers here in 2,000 years. So I waited. I shielded myself from your soldiers eyes when they explored my planet."

Sam combed her fingers through her hair. "Well, that would explain why we didn't find any signs of life. I guess your invisibility hides you from our scanners, too?"

"Yes."

Janet looked at Kayka with her mouth almost to the floor. "Hold on a minute. Kayka? 2,000 years? How is that possible? You would have to have been cryogenically frozen or suspended in some way."

"No. I cannot die. None of my people were supposed to die. We are what you call immortal." She lowered her head. "_I_ am what you call immortal. We were never in fear of death until the virus came. It tore through our bodies and souls. I need your help. I have to know why it happened--how it happened."

General Hammond, as well as SG-1, were astonished. The General stood and began pacing the room. "You are over 2,000 years old? How is that possible?" He turned to Janet. "How is that possible Doctor?"

Janet shrugged slightly. "I can't even begin to imagine, Sir."

"Find out. I want you to perform every test imaginable until we get some answers."

"Yes, Sir."

General Hammond exited the room. Jack smiled in Kayka's direction. "So…..you're 2,000 years old? You wear it well."

She smirked. "To be precise--6,378 years young."

The team was dumbfounded. They just sat there and stared at the oldest woman in the room. The oldest woman on the planet.

Janet stood and positioned herself next to Sam. "Sam, I would like your help on this. It never hurts to have the most brilliant woman on the planet at your disposal." She sent Sam her widest smile.

Sam's heart leapt. _She thinks I'm brilliant. I love this woman, and damnit I'm going to fight for her._ "I would love to. I guess since we're going to be on base for the rest of the week, we will just have to have our dinner date here. I'm making Jell-O surprise."

"Sounds fantastic."

Kayka's smile faded a bit. _Date? Are they seeing each other? It makes sense. Sam is beautiful and strong with a flare for jealousy, I've noticed. _Her smile returned. _They make a lovely couple._ The three women headed for the infirmary to run the tests.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

Janet had run every test she and Sam could think of and found nothing. With little hope of every finding anything, Sam headed to her lab to re-analyze the blood work. Kayka watched as Janet paced the room, chart in hand.

"Janet?"

Janet turned suddenly as if she had been snuck-up on. "What is it? Are you feeling alright?"

She laughed. "Yes, I'm fine. I was hoping we could talk."

"About what?"

"About you, your planet, your customs…..love."

"Well…where would you like to start? I don't know if I'm the best person to ask, but I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can. However, you might want to think about talking to Dr. Jackson. He's the expert on this kind of stuff." Janet sat next to Kayka on the bed.

"Why does your heart beat faster when you are near Samantha Carter?"

"What?!" Janet looked as if she were a deer caught in headlights.

"Is it the same reason that my heart beats faster when I am near you?"

"I don't know what you mean, Kayka. My heart beats at a normal rate no matter who I'm near."

"This is not true. I feel the beating of your heart now. It has become erratic since I first asked you of your feelings for Samantha Carter."

"I DO NOT have feelings for Samantha Carter!" Janet rose harshly from the bed.

"I did not mean to upset you. I am sorry my curiosity has caused you such distress."

"Do you know what these accusations could cost me?"

"I have not accused you of anything, Janet. I know what I have felt. When I get close to you, my heart tries to escape and find its way into your arms, but your heart does not do the same for me." She turned away from Janet. "Your heart only beats when she is beside you. I can barely feel it otherwise."

"She's my best friend, Kayka. I care about her very much, but I do not have feelings for her." She lightly placed a finger on Kayka's chin and turned her head to face her. "I'm sorry if you've misread me."

"I have not misread you, Janet, as I have not misread her. A fire burns in her when you look into her eyes. She thinks of the same sunset you do."

"Sunset? What do you mean?"

"When I sense such strong feelings of anger, fear, sadness, love, I get glimpses of the thoughts behind them. Her thoughts are always of the same sunset. When I look deep inside your heart, past the fear, past the uncertainty, I can see your sunset, too. It is as if I have never left her mind. She feels so much for you and you feel so much for her. Why do you fight it?"

Tears streaked Janet's face. "Kayka. I have to fight it. I don't have a choice. I could lose everything."

"Could? It's always good to keep your head, but is it worth losing your heart?"

Janet broke down in deep sobs. "I….I love her, Kayka. I love her more than I have ever loved anything, but we can't be together. Her career means everything to her. I would never take that away."

"Have you ever heard of a secret, Janet?"

"It's not that simple."

"Isn't it?" She looked deep into Janet's eyes. "I wont tell if you wont."

Janet rested her head against Kayka's shoulder. Her sobs had calmed. Kayka ran her fingers through Janet's hair in a comforting motion. Sam pulled the curtain back. Her eyes were flooded with anger. She slammed the file containing the last blood work on the bed.

"I didn't find anything. Big surprise. Looks like you've found more than enough, though." She fled the room.

"Sam!" Janet yelled after her. She jumped from the bed and chased after her.

Kayka closed her eyes. "This planet frightens me."


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

Janet found Sam in her lab hunched over a microscope. She slowly put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sam?"

She didn't look up.

"Sam, it wasn't what it looked like. Kayka and I were talking, I got a bit emotional and she was comforting me."

Sam slapped Janet's hand away from her. "What you do in the privacy of your infirmary is your business, Janet, not mine. There is no reason for you to be here explaining yourself. So just go." Sam chanced a glimpse at the Doctor. Janet's eyes were wide and filled with tears. She cradled her hand against her chest. Sam's expression changed quickly. She gently took the hand that she had slapped away into her own. "Janet, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Janet tore herself from Sam's grasp. "No. You're right. What I do is NONE of your business, Captain!" She ran for the hallway, stopping abruptly at the doorway. She turned to look Sam in the eye. "I thought I loved you, Sam. I thought I loved you so much." She stormed away to her quarters.

"Janet! Wait!"

Sam ran to the infirmary as quickly as she could manage.

* * *

"Why are you here!? Tell me!"

Kayka sat up. "Samantha?"

"Did you come all these light-years just to ruin my life? Well?"

"I'm sorry, Samantha. I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"We were fine…until you came here. I was fine hiding my feelings and being happy with what I had…until you came here. I had an amazing career and an even more amazing best friend. A friend that I love with every ounce of energy, every particle of my being. So tell me why you came here?! Tell me why she can't look me in the eye without running?!" Sam collapsed into Kayka's lap, sobs pounding through her like a great river.

"Samantha, you are the reason she runs. But it isn't you that she is running from….it is her feelings for you. They scare her. She fears for you, your careers, and how other's will perceive the both of you."

"She told you this?"

"Not in so many words, but in feeling. She needs you, Samantha Carter."

"She's never needed anyone, Kayka."

"Then you must be something special." She pulled Samantha to her feet. "Tell her how you feel. Don't dance around her with unnecessary words and don't stop until she is in your arms. Do you understand?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say."

"You'll know when you see her. Now go."

Sam hugged Kayka as tight as she could and headed for Janet's quarters.

* * *

Sam knocked on Janet's door.

"Janet? Can I come in?" Sam listened closely at the door. She could hear Janet crying softly into her pillow. _I'm so sorry, Janet. I would give anything to take back everything I did to hurt you. _Sam remembered what Kayka said, 'Don't stop until she is in your arms.' "I'm so sorry, Janet. I would give anything to take back everything I did to hurt you. Please believe me."

Janet wiped her eyes and opened the door. "Come in."

"Thank you."

"Sam, I'm sorry I yelled at you. It was unprofessional and it wont happen again. I understand if you want to report the incident."

Sam grabbed Janet's hands and sat her down on the bed. "There's what's wrong and there's what's right, but no one ever stops to think about the space between. It's there to help you catch your breath when running from one side to the other. It's a place for you to feel safe and in control. It offers an escape from any fears you might have about either side. I've been here for so long, Janet---waiting for you. I've loved you from the second I saw you. I've never wanted to hold another human-being as much as I want to hold you. I want to fall asleep to your face every night for rest of my life. The thought of losing you tears me up inside and I'm sick and tired of feeling this way. You are my best friend. I never thought I would risk losing that friendship, but right now I would do anything to change it. I love you, Janet, and I want to be with you, regardless of the rules and regulations. I wont let anything stand in the way ever again. Do you trust me?"

Janet was speechless. Her lips quivered as she attempted to make words. She closed her eyes as Sam's lips touched her own. She pulled away and opened her eyes. "Yes. I trust you, Sam." Their lips met once more in a long, passionate kiss.

* * *

Kayka lay on the stiff infirmary bed with her hands rested on her chest. She opened her eyes and smiled. The light that beamed from her slowly faded. Her chest rose and fell, but did not rise again. The virus that had wiped out her entire planet, brought by a man, who walked across the water bearing gifts, had consumed her.

* * *

'_He has given us the ability to love, Kayka. The ability to feel for others,' _the oracle said, _'you will have to travel a great distance to find yours in the only other place he has created it. When your heart makes its first beat you will be doomed to the fate of your planet. We were never meant to have this blood of life run through us. Mistakes have to be made for the greater good, Kayka. He knows that. No one should live forever. He has given our people a purpose, but he has given you a greater one. You will save the universe, Kayka, in more ways than one.'_ The oracle fell to his knees and closed his eyes. Now the last of her people, Kayka waited patiently to make her journey. Every soul has a twin and she would find hers at the other end of the universe.


End file.
